Conventional mailboxes are well-known throughout America. Mailboxes are made of sheet metal panels or molded plastic typically having a arcuate roof and a hinged door or a lid to gain access to the mailbox enclosure.
While particularly functional, plain mailboxes have a relatively drab, unattractive appearance. This shortcoming has, however, been addressed in the art by the development of a number of mailbox covers such as shown in the U.S. Design Pat. No. 287,899 to Lindheimer and U.S. Design Pat. No. 118,696 to Driver as well as U.S. Utility Pat. No. 4,375,869 to Hatch. Each of these patents disclose mailbox covers including wooden slats which are received over and cover the mailbox. Not only are these covers aesthetically pleasing, they also advantageously provide a degree of protection to the mailbox. This is an important aspect of the covers since mailboxes are commonly targeted by vandals who throw objects at them from moving vehicles.
The vandalism problem is of particular concern when it is considered that covers known in the art are designed as an integrated assembly. For example, the protective cover disclosed in the Hatch patent includes a series of slats arranged in parallel and in a row with one slat laterally of and adjacent to the next slat in the row. Each of the slats is joined to flexible members, such as strips of synthetic rubber or nylon, which hold all the slats together for draping over a mailbox.
Unfortunately, when one of these slats of the assembly becomes marred and/or broken through, for example, impact with a rock or other object thrown from a vehicle, replacement of the slat requires removal of the entire assembly from the mailbox. After removal of the damaged slat, a new slat must be aligned and carefully positioned on the flexible members that hold the cover assembly together. The slat must also be attached to the flexible members in some way in order to complete the repairs. Unfortunately, this is an inconvenient and tedious process. Further, in some cases, the damage may even require the purchase of a new cover assembly. Unfortunately, this is also an inconvenient and expensive procedure which, further, could be avoided.